An enjoyable 9th book in the DI Clare Mackay series, wrapping up one subplot and introducing another one to tease us into hopefully book 10! This one saw a lot of little threads overlap so that I think it benefits from reading fairly quickly to keep on top of it all - but with Marion’s writing, that’s far from a hardship. I’d recommend the series to anyone who likes their noir in tartan colour!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Detective Clare MacKay #9

There's a serial killer that's targeting gay men. He's been nicknamed The Choker as he drugs and rapes his victims then strangles them with a chain. Police intelligence believes he is targeting the St. Andrews area next.All they know about him is that he might be a painter and decorator., and he drives a white van. DI Clare MacKay and her team are setting up a widespread l team in the hope of capturing the person responsible.

The pace is steady in this twisted and well-written read. People who have read all the books in this series will be familiar with DI MacKay and her team. It's action-packed, and we learn more of Clare's background and her struggles dealing with her elderly parents. This is a good addition to the series.

Published 0th January 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Canelo and the author #MarionTodd for my ARC of #DeadMansShoes in exchange for an honest review.

Another eagerly awaited installment in DI Clare Mackay's police career. This book is interesting as it follows a series of attacks on gay young men in the North of England and also we see the reappearance of an old friend, teflon coated Big Val Docherty. We see a bit more of Clare's personal life with her patents and Al (The DCI) and the beginnings of how the late nights and physical nature of the job take their toll. Her team are brilliant, supportive and Chris is hilarious as usual. Absolutely brilliant, as usual, and now we will await no.10 next year I guess?
I was left with one question though- I couldn't see any connection to the book title and wondered if I have missed something?

Excellent tension & suspense😯

This is one of my favorite police investigative series and just keeps going at a high standard. Here St. Andrews DI Clare Mackay and her team start the story poised to nab a serial killer of young gay men moving around in the UK and end up untangling a local crime streak that results in kidnapping and murder. It's fast paced and I was totally engaged beginning to end. Clare and her whole team are dedicated and work so well together.

I usually prefer this genre with focus on the crime investigation and limited input about the characters' private lives. But not here. Clare's escalating problem with work life balance and its effect on her relationship with Al had me worried and added to the suspense.

Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

I’ve been waiting patiently for the next instalment in the Clare Mackay series, and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed! Thanks NetGalley for the advance reading, in return for my review!

Just when you think there can’t be any crime left in St Andrews that the intrepid Clare hasn’t already dealt with, along comes a man in a van from down south, and Clare and her team spring into action! I enjoyed the is it/ isn’t it part of whether the ‘anticipated’ crime had been committed, showing that things aren’t always as they seem, along with the pursuit of who they home is the right man.

Again, I love the reference to local areas I know about- I do wonder if this is a huge part of the appeal of the books for me, and whether anyone reading who isn’t local, has that same investment, but either way, I can’t wait to see what Clare is up to next!

It is wonderful to catch up with Clare, partner DCI Alistair Gibson, Benjy their dog and Clare's team - Chris, Sara, Max, Robbie and Gillian at the police station based in St Andrews, Fife. One morning, Clare is called to a meeting with Superintendent Penny Meakin, where DCI Ben Ratcliffe is also waiting. We learn there is a serial offender making their way up to St Andrews. Clare and Ben join forces along with her team to stop any crime occurring. All I know is this was a fast paced, police procedural that was filled with a few nail biting moments and lots of twists and turns. The team grows stronger in their dynamic and you see how much they rely on each other to get through the crime ridden days.

I really enjoy Marion Todd’s DI Clare Mackay series and Dead Man’s Shoes is a real cracker. This time a fair bit of the action comes from around Dundee and I had no trouble at all identifying with the storyline involving drugs, a dodgy nightclub and a particularly slippy customer that the Police have been trying to pin down for their crimes but to no avail.

In the midst of business as usual, DI Clare Mackay is asked to lead her team in identifying a serial killer who preys on gay men. It’s got to be an undercover operation, because the Serious Crime Agency is keen to make sure that their perpetrator has no idea that they believe he’s in Clare’s area of St Andrews. Without a picture to go on and only the sketchiest of details about his likely occupation and mode of transport, Clare must use her skills and local knowledge of the area to track this man down, working in conjunction with an old acquaintance at the NCA. It is believed that this killer, whom the press have dubbed ‘The Choker’ seeks his victims out at weekends and kills them.

So, when a young man is found strangled earlier in the week, Clare chastises herself for not anticipating an earlier kill, but remains unsure as to whether this young man is actually a victim of The Choker or someone else’s target. The young man was a member of a local family with ties to criminal activity and so other leads need to be investigated, stretching the team to capacity.

One of the reasons I like this series so much is its authenticity. You do get a feel for how police procedure works and for the careful planning that goes into an operation like finding a serial murderer.

Clare has a good team around her and is mindful of their mental and physical well-being – though of course it doesn’t stop her nicking their biscuits! She does though, throw a lot of herself into her work and that means she can be a little forgetful of her home and family life, though she does her best to balance things out, she is not always successful. Her beloved dog, Benjy, though ensures he is never far from her mind! Clare’s life partner. Alastair Gibson, whom she refers to as ‘the DCI’, on the other hand, has to bide his time until she has the headspace to listen to his news as Clare’s investigation ramps up.

Marion Todd does a great job of creating tension and excitement and of throwing in the odd piece of misdirection here and there to keep us guessing. Her understanding of forensics is excellent and provides her with the fodder for an excellent plot line and denouement. The pacing is good, and moves from an even flow to fast paced when things start to really heat up.

Verdict: An excellent read and a terrific police procedural. Marion Todd writes her characters with deftness and brings them to life as rounded individuals, especially in Clare’s team. These are likeable characters with the kind of domestic issues we all have and though the crimes feel all too real, there’s no gratuitous violence or overdoing the gore. I have no hesitation in recommending the whole series to new readers. Dead Man’s Shoes can easily be read as a stand-alone book, but if you read the whole series, you’ll really enjoy the character progression.

My thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’, Book 9 of Detective Clare Mackay series written by Marion Todd, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The Chainlink Choker has been choosing his young male victims from around the North of England until police intelligence hears that he’s moved on to the St Andrews area where DI Clare Mackay is based. With DCI Ben Ratcliffe involved, can Clare and her team catch the killer before he finds another victim?

‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ is an exciting Scottish police thriller where DI Clare Mackay joins forces with DCI Ben Ratcliffe to find a prolific killer before he claims another victim. Although it has a rather slowish start it soon gains momentum and with a plot that’s well thought-out and has lots of drama, suspense and twists and turns, you get a thoroughly enjoyable thriller that’s easy to read and impossible to put down. As Clare finally brings the investigation to an end and looks forward to a well-deserved rest, her boyfriend DCI Alastair Gibson springs a surprise leaving her with a dilemma, but we won’t know what she decides until we get to read book 10!

What a fantastic read I couldn't put it down. Was fast paced and very thrilling

Thanks for the opportunity to review

Another instalment in the quite brilliant series of books by St. Andrews based novelist, Marion Todd.

Again, our heroine, Clare Slater has to overcome a battle of personal and professional dilemmas in a well-paced and narratively twisting tale.
As always, Slater must rise above and lead her team, this time with the pain of a back injury sustained in the line of duty while attempting to solve another case of murder in her small town.

Todd writes with such verve and enthusiasm, as ever this reader could not put the book down.
A great start to the New Year of reading for fans old and new.

DI Clare MacKay has a murderer, who targets and chokes gay young men, to apprehend. One young man does not seem to be quite the same as the others and Clare determines that there are two killers out there. One, the Choker, the other seemingly related to the drugs and people slavers of Dundee. It's so good to see teams working together well, for them to have some sense of humour in a pretty horrible job, for the boss to be supportive. Clare's personal life is also normal feeling - elderly parents, a supportive partner whom she does take for granted rather a lot and so on. Well written as expected, enough red herrings, twists and turns and satisfactory ending. Another definitely good read - bit of a relief that since I've had rather too many 3* ok for a while, read, finish, forget. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Dead Man’s Shoes is book 9 in the D I Clare Mackay series, but it can easily read as a standalone.
Intel has been brought it that a serial Killer called the choker is heading to St Andrews way. Clare and her team plan to catch the killer before he strikes again. The killer kills men and hokes them with a chain. They get news that a body is found with the M.O. of the Choker and the police think that he has killed again but Clare has her doubts,
When they delve into the investigation that the person killed is linked to a night club and a case of wrong identity. When another person goes missing is he going to be next or is it something else entirely.
Although the storyline a bit slow at first. It became another gripping read from the author. Clare as usual doing all she can to find the killer. Its not easy for her as she also has things in her personal to deal with too. This is a great read. 4 stars from me.

Dead Man's Shoes by Marion Todd is a highly recommended procedural and the ninth novel set in Scotland featuring Detective Clare Mackay.

There is a serial killer on the loose targeting men. He is being called the Choker since he drugs his victims and then chokes them to death with a chain. Police intelligence believes the Choker is moving into the St. Andrews area. He drives a white van and is thought to be a decorator or painter. He usually strikes on a Friday or Saturday night. DI Clare Mackay and her team are tasked with setting up a widespread surveillance trying to catch the killer.

When a young man is found dead before the weekend, it is thought it might be from the Choker, but Mackay has her doubts. The victim has ties to some local criminals in the area. The surveillance plan continues and another man is found injured. It seems that the Choker is still active and there may be more going on than the police realize.

Dead Man's Shoes is a well-written, detailed, even-paced procedural. It did seem to move a little slowly at times, but those who enjoy procedurals will appreciate all the details carefully provided. The focus is on the facts of the investigation while avoiding a lot of grisly descriptions of the crimes.

For those not following the series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel. Even though there are some personal things happening in the lives of the character, the focus is really on the police work. You won't have all the background information on the characters, but you will still be able to follow the investigation. Thanks to Canelo Crime for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Really enjoyed this Clare Mackay novel. It was consistently fantastic through the whole book. Kept wondering was was coming next. Plenty of suspense. Great characters. What more do you need. Definitely will read the next one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Another excellent read from the author in the DI Clare Mackay series, set in Scotland. I really like the characterisation and the team dynamics, as well as the insight into their personal lives. The pace started off at a steady pace and felt very believable as the murder investigation intensified. The writing is good and it was great to catch up with the whole team again. I hope we don't have too long to wait until we find out where life is going for Clare, her partner and her elderly parents. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Dead Man's Shoes is a good addition to the DI Mackay series by Marion Todd. I think the first part of the story is slow going though and it took a while for me to become fully invested in this read. Mackay and her team search for a serial killer believed to be in their area and also investigate a murder. I like following the team in their investigations and love the banter they have. The glimpses into the DI's home and personal life are a nice touch. My one gripe is that I wish Mackay would stop referring to her other half as the DCI ... I find this quite irritating. Dead Man's Shoes does begin to gain pace after its slowish start, I think the authors writing is good, the story flows well and the plot is all too believeable and realistic. It hasn't wowed me as much as the previous books did - but I'd still recommend Marion Todd and this series and if you're new to this author you need to read the books in order to know the characters and their histories from the start.

3.5 stars

DI Clare Mackay is summoned by her seniors in Dundee and asked to get together a task force to try to prevent a serial killer nicknamed The Choker, who targets young gay men, from striking again. Intelligence suggests that the killer may be making his way to Clare’s patch over the weekend, and the pressure is on to work out which areas he may focus on and to stop him from murdering again.

When a young man is found dead before Clare’s team has assembled, and the killing appears to have the hallmarks of The Choker’s methods, it seems that Clare has missed the boat. However, she becomes convinced that this murder has been committed by someone else and that The Choker may still be at large in the area, but has to persuade her seniors to allow the original operation to go ahead.

This was the first book I’d read in the Clare Mackay series. Clare and her colleagues made an interesting, likeable cast and I could see this series working well on TV. There was some focus on Clare’s home life as well, and the risk that she was losing touch with important developments with her parents and her partner as things intensified with her work.

My initial sense was that this novel was going to be tightly focused on the weekend in question and that this would give it a lot of tension. It turned out to be less tense but perhaps more realistic than that, with the storyline bringing in other, related cases as well. This is an enjoyable police procedural with a relatable cast of characters and I’d happily read others in the series.

Well, this is the first Marion Todd book I've read and it definitely won't be the last.
Filled with down to earth officers , each with their own personalities and relationships as well as criminals daring to think they can pull the world over Claire Mackay's eyes in this tale of drugs, homophobia and criminality.
Fast paced and authentic. I loved it.
Now I'll have to catch up on the others in the series.

I’ve really enjoyed the previous books in the Detective Clare Mackay series and this is one of the best yet. The action gets going on page one and never lets up – a killer is suspected to be heading towards St Andrews and Clare and her team are required to find and trap him before he can hit again – and the characters are now so well established that it all flows very naturally. Even the background of the underworld of the area has been built up so they have become part of the series themselves and keep reoccurring, which feels very realistic to policing. I particularly enjoyed the writing around Clare’s personal life – her struggle to deal with aging parents was beautifully and very sensitively portrayed – and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.